Sliema Wanderers were unlucky not to emerge victorious from their home match against Hungary’s Ferencvaros, Birkirkara, down to 10 men for most of the second half, produced a spirited performance before succumbing to a stoppage-time goal away to VTK Diosgyor, and Hibs did well to claw back two goals after being jolted by Jonathan Pearson’s early red card.

Although Maltese teams still have a long way to go to progress through the rounds in European tournaments, their displays in the Europa League games this week have, by and large, been satisfactory.

The Wanderers will travel to Hungary for the second leg on Thursday with renewed optimism even though their failure to put away their chances in Tuesday’s game has undermined their chances of advancing to the second round.

Alfonso Greco, Sliema’s Italian coach, admitted to mixed feelings after seeing his team miss a first-half penalty and a host of scoring opportunities in their 1-1 draw with the Hungarians.

“I’m satisfied but angry at the same time,” Greco said.

“Our performance against Ferencvaros was good. We created three to four scoring chances, missed a penalty, hit a post and we didn’t suffer a lot in defence.

Ferencvaros maybe didn’t expect to meet an organised team. I think this is a good thing for Maltese football as even Birkirkara played well in Hungary- Alfonso Greco

“Ferencvaros maybe didn’t expect to meet an organised team. I think this is a good thing for Maltese football as even Birkirkara played well in Hungary.”

Nigerian striker Stanley Oha-wuchi, who is the subject of interest from an Egyptian club, put Sliema ahead six minutes from half-time after Malta captain Michael Mifsud had driven his penalty wide on 14 minutes.

Ferencvaros will start the return leg as favourites to set up a meeting against Croatia’s HNK Rijeka in the second round after Michal Nalepa equalised late in the game.

Greco believes that Ferencvaros will be a different proposition at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium.

“We can expect a different team in the away match,” he observed.

“They will be very motivated and the atmosphere will probably be hot as their fans will get behind the team.

“It will be a battle but we will do everything in our power to gain another positive result.

“If we show the determination and aggressiveness like we did on Tuesday, we will have a chance as up front, we have players who can cause problems to the opposition.

“But, we need to remain calm... we can’t become overconfident.”

Hibernians’ hopes of emulating Sliema were dashed in the opening 12 minutes when defender Pearson was sent off for a penalty-box challenge and Spartak capitalised to race into a two-goal lead.

The Slovakians, for whom Erik Sabo struck a brace, looked set for a resounding win after taking a 3-0 half-time lead but goals from Andrew Cohen and Clayton Failla, both from free-kicks, lifted Hibs in the second half.

Branko Nisevic, the Hibs coach, lamented Pearson’s dismissal but hailed his team’s character.

“The red card inevitably conditioned the match,” Nisevic said.

“Playing in Europe, our teams have a difficult task even when it’s 11 vs 11, never mind playing with 10 men for most of the game.

“We were shocked in those two to three minutes (after Pearson’s expulsion) but at half-time, the players calmed down and regained composure. They showed great character in the second half.”

Nisevic admits that Hibs’ chances of progressing to a second round encounter with Georgia’s Zestafoni are virtually over.

“We have to be realistic,” Nisevic said.

“Trailing 4-2 after the home leg, our chances are almost impossible but we are still targeting a good performance in the away match.”

Fans’ reaction

Despite Hibs’ gallant efforts in the second half, the fans turned against Nisevic after he withdrew Failla nine minutes from time.

The Serbian was saddened by the reaction but refrained from hitting back.

“I’m naturally disappointed at what happened,” Nisevic said.

“At the end of the day, the team and I needed the fans to support us in those difficult circumstances.

“Their reaction was not helpful. It came at a time when we were pushing for a third goal, also taking some risks, but I don’t want to dwell on it.”

Like Nisevic, Paul Zammit, the Birkirkara coach, was left to rue the expulsion of a defender, Brazilian Mattheus Bissi, in his side’s 2-1 loss to VTK Diosgyor.

“The game was a mixed affair,” Zammit told reporters after Diosgyor scored a last-gasp winner.

“We had a very positive first half. We were compact and produced some good counter-attacks.

“In the second half, the red card to Bissi changed the game.”

Zammit expressed his satisfaction at his side’s reaction after Bissi cancelled out David Barczi’s opener.

“I was very pleased with the reaction of my players,” Zammit said.

“We hit the post and then went 1-0 down but the players reacted. They looked confident but we had to change our plan after the red card.”

It’s a measure of Birkirkara’s resilient display in Hungary that Tomiszlav Szivics, the Diosgyor coach, said after the game that he’d be happy to “have five to six Birkirkara players” in his squad.

The winner of the Birkirkara-Diosgyor game will meet either Moldova’s Veris or Bulgarian side Litex Lovech in the next round.